The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-02

in the open field to thresh ~, and II
was ground with q rude pestle and
mortar. "For hundred years the
farms, of precisely the same size, had
been kept in the same families and
cultivated with the same kind OF i'm.
plements in the same way. Yearafte
year the same crops were raised in the
same succession When a patch OF
land became exhausted it was suffered
to lie fallow"
On the subject of amuscments Mr.
McMaster has much matter OF in
terest. Here is picture OF gay life at
Louisville: "rhe iavoTte pastlme
was billiards, and every mornlngnum-
bers of young women, escorted by the
young men, gathered about the one
billiard table in the town. II a stran-
ger OF note put up at the only tavern,
and gave out that he was come to
STAY some time, he was sure 10 be
called on, as the phrase was, to sign
for ball. When the night came the
garrison at Fort Jefferson would FUR
nish the music, and the managers
would choose the dances. The first
was generally minuet, and, till his
number was called, no man knew
with whom he was to dance. This
over, each was at liberty to choose his
own partner for the first volunteer ,"
With New York people the battery was
a favorite place OF resort for amuse-
ment. There were other places ofpop-
ular outdoor resort in hot weather
without the city. New York seems to
have been as uncomfortable III the
summer time as it is now. In Phila-
delphia the assembly and the theater
provided for amusement lovers. "I'he
assembly-room was at Oeller's tavern
and made one OF the sights
of the town. The length was
sixty feet. The walls were papered in
the French frshion and adorned with
Pantheon figures, festoons and pilas-
tiers, and groups of antique drawings.
Across one end was fine music gal
lely. The rules OF the assembly were
framed and hung upon the wall. The
managers had entire control With
out their leave no lady could quit her
place in the dance nor dance out OF
her set, nor could she complain if they
placed strangers or brides at the head
of the dance. The ladies were to rank
in sets and draw for places as they en-
tered the room. Those 10 led might
call the dances alternately When
each set had danced country dance
a cotilion might be had ii eight ladies
wished it, Gentlemen could not come
into the room IN boots, colored stock
ings, or undress."
One Of Mr.. McMaster's long chap
ters is devoted exclusively to the sup
iect of the ordinary life Of town and
country, andis rich storehouse ofin-
formation concerning this very essen
tial part of history. The matter OF
dress is treated in highly interesting
fashion. "Dress became every season
more and more hideous, more and
more uncomfortable, more and more
devoid OF good sense and good taste.
Use and beauty ceased to becombined.
The pantaloons OF beau went up to
his arm-pits; tC get into them was a
mornings work, and when in to sit
down was impossible. His hat was too
small TO contain his handkerchief, and
was nCt expected to stay on his head.
His hair was brushed from the crown
of his head toward his forehead, and
looked, rs q satirist of that day truly
said, as if he had been fighting an old
fashioned hurricane backward. About
his neck was spotted linen necker-
chief; the skirts OF his green coat were
cut away to a mathematical point be-
hind; his favorite drink was brandy,
and his favorite talk of the last
French play. n y Even these alb
surdities were not enough, and when
1880 began fashion was more extrava-
CANT still. Then beau was defined as
anything put into PAIR ofpantaloons
with q binding sewed around the
top and called n vest. The skirts OF
the coat should be pared away to the
width OF hat-band, and if he was
doomed to pass his time in the house
lac would require a heavy pair o. round
toed jack-boots, with a tassel before
and behind. y Women were
thought worse than the men. To de-
termine the style of their dress, fashion,
decency, and health, the statement
was, ran q race. Decency lost her
spirits, health was bribed by a quack
doctor, so fashion won." The theaters
sought to provide for all tastes. We
read of an occasion when the perform
ance consisted of the "Beaux STRAIT
agem," the "Federal Bow-Wow." q
comic opera called the "Poor Soldier"
hornpipe, slack-rope tumbling, and
the pantomime of the death OF Capt.
Cook" all in one evening. "ln the
theaters at henorth it often happened
that the moment a well-dressed man
entered the pit he at once became a
mark for the wit and insolence OF the
men in the gallery. They would begin